Hey Pokémon fans: It’s gonna take a lot of poké coins to catch ’em all this time.
Luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. is collaborating with artist Daniel Arsham on a Pokémon-themed collection of sterling silver pendants shaped like beloved collectible characters Charmander, Squirtle, Jigglypuff, Cubone and Mew — plus a Tiffany-blue “Poké Ball” housing an 18-karat gold Pikachu necklace that some news outlets are estimating will cost up to $29,000.
The Tiffany x Arsham Studio x Pokémon capsule collection will be available starting Nov. 29, according to the website, and features Arsham’s Pokémon-inspired sculptures rendered as an array of special-edition jewelry creations, including pendant necklaces.
Tiffany was not immediately available for comment, and hasn’t displayed the prices of its Pokémon pieces online just yet. But some outlets have estimated the oxidized sterling silver pendants with diamond accents run around $1,290 each. But the special 18-karat gold Pikachu necklace enclosed in the Tiffany-blue “Poké Ball” could run as high as $9,900 for the smaller size, and $29,000 for the larger one, according to VGC News, which covers video-game industry news.
Artist Arsham told Women’s Wear Daily, “My latest collaboration with Tiffany & Co. is a combination of pop culture, fine jewelry and art,” noting that, like many millennial and Gen Z consumers, he has loved the anime “pocket monsters” since he was a kid.
“Pokémon has had an immense presence ever since I was a child, and this capsule collection celebrates the influence Pokémon has had in my work and my long-standing partnership with a heritage brand like Tiffany & Co.,” he added. “Both are inextricable from the cultural footprint of the past, present and future.”
Granted, as shocking as a $29,000 Pikachu necklace may sound, seeing rare or exclusive Pokémon products commanding thousands of dollars is really as common as catching a Pidgey or a Rattata. (Er, low-level bird and rat Pokémon, respectively, that pop up annoying frequently in the franchise’s many Nintendo
NTDOY,
games and collectibles.)
For instance, when Mondelez International
MDLZ,
rolled out Pokémon-themed Oreo cookies in 2021, hard-to-find limited edition treats featuring the cat-like Mew character started popping up on eBay
EBAY,
for thousands — sometimes tens of thousands — of dollars.
Pokémon Trading Card Game (aka Pokemon TCG) cards have spiked in value over the past few years, with a rare first-edition Charizard card (depicting a fiery dragon) selling for more than $300,000 at auction in March 2021. In fact, a special card depicting the president of The Pokemon Company sold for nearly $250,000 at auction in April 2021; not a Pokemon, but the president of the company.
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